Jessye Norman

Last Sunday afternoon Jessye Norman sang at Denison University. A large number of Kendal residents attended, determined not to miss a concert by one of the premiere singers of our era. We were not disappointed. At sixty-seven, Ms Norman has shifted from the operatic roles that brought her acclaim – Sieglinde, Dido, Ariadne – to more intimate numbers, and for this occasion she sang highlights from the great American songbook. 

The performances were memorably lovely. Pieces by George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Harold Arlen; tributes to Odetta and Ella Fitzgerald – all these and much else offered in a voice that is rich in lowest register, stunning in its upper reaches, and thoroughly under control all across her magnificent dynamic range. She was a chanteuse without compare.

She wore a grand, rich gown that sank to the floor, and she swept it around with her hands as she walked. She spent much of the concert seated on a bench or standing at bend in the piano. She never moved abruptly. But on occasion she would stand free, in the middle of the stage, to let the rhythm of a piece touch and move her entire body. The effect was stunning.

She offered two encores – "Summertime" and "Amazing Grace." On that second number she sang two verses and then invited the audience to sing the first verse again while she riffed above us. The effect was astonishing. When the concert was over the audience applauded her rapturously – and with respect to some in the audience I use that word with its literal force. 

As we drove home on the Kendal bus a thought occurred to me. Several years ago René Fleming, today's reigning prima donna, had appeared at Denison and sung "I Could Have Danced All Night" as an encore. She too had invited the audience to join in on the melody while she soared above us, with similarly electrifying effects. So now, I reflected from my quiet bus seat, I can accurately say that I've sung with both Jessye Norman and René Fleming. What more can life offer?

An Afternoon with Switchback

Martin Mc Cormack and Brian Fitzgerald
Switchback

 

One of the things that makes it possible to work through life's trials and tribulations is to have a backlog of really uplifting experiences  - the kind that fill your heart and soul and mind so that your cup runneth over. Luckily I had one of those here at Kendal on Friday afternoon, March eighth, when we had the good fortune to hear a program of music presented by the “musical partnership of Brian Fitzgerald and Martin McCormack known as Switchback.”  Each of them was an established musician in his own right when they came together twenty-seven years ago.

Both of these personable performers sing and play guitar with Brian switching to mandolin part of the time.  They lived up to their billing as presenters of “An Amazing Mix of American Roots and Celtic Music.” clearly evidencing an extensive repertoire.  As the program unfolded we were treated to a wide spectrum of music ranging from the toe tapping, foot stomping, hand clapping sort to the calm tranquil, quiet meditative, easy listening kind. One could say the selections went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

The program began with a delightful instrumental number called "The Boys of Bluehill", a traditional Irish jig.  One piece that particularly touched my heartstrings was their tender rendition of “I Will Take You Home Again Kathleen.”  My mother often sang Irish songs in her beautiful soprano voice and this one was one of her favorites.  It was from her that I learned it was written by a German for his Irish bride. Thus when Martin said he was going to sing an Irish song actually written by a German, I knew immediately which song he meant. Another of my favorites was “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” from the romantic pop-art opera which illustrated yet another facet of their talent.

We were also favored with numbers such as “The Wabash Cannon Ball," “Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder?” “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” and "Moonshiner," an Irish drinking song about poteen, Irish moonshine.  These along with other similar pieces provided opportunities for foot stomping, hand clapping, and singing-a-long.  In addition they mixed in Johnny Cash's "Jailhouse Blues" and an interlude of solo mandolin quiet hymnlike music by Brian for good measure.

Further proof of the extent of their ability was demonstrated when they presented an original composition called "Right Then" which they were inspired to compose in the style of the songs popular in the big band era after visiting the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.  It took me back to the days when I was dating.

The program ended with their unique version of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.”  It brought to mind a much more robust group of riders than I envisioned when back in the late 1940’s my roommate and I were lucky enough to have our dates take us to hear Vaughn Monroe sing this when he brought his band to Toledo. 

For me it ended too soon because it cut short my walk down memory lane.   For that is what I was experiencing as they played and sang.  Each number evoked a special memory since music has been at the center of my life. I grew up in a family where music was valued, I met my husband playing the cello in the Sunday School orchestra he directed and much of our courtship consisted of attending concerts or other events  where he was playing or directing music.   Needless to say a wide variety of musical activities were a vital part of our married life.  Music has become the fabric that binds my heart, soul, mind and body together.  Without music my life would be unbearably empty.  Thus I feel it a privilege to find myself in the presence of musicians with what I perceive to be kindred spirits like those of Brian and Martin.  And so it was these two Irish men charmed me with their music and helped to make me whole.  Not only me but from the reaction of the audience I would say most of them were also charmed.

Testing!

Believe it or not, this really is a test. We've been having some difficulty with our procedures here, and so posting this message is part of an effort to get to the bottom of the problem.

BTW, here at Kendal we're gearing up for the imminent arrival of residnts for our new apartment wing!

Tower Tales, Vol. V, No.1

About two weeks ago a new issue of Tower Tales appeared in the boxes of all residents. This publication features writings by persons who live at Kendal at Granville, and a new issue is published every six months or so. (In the interest of full disclosure I need to quickly note that I'm a member of the seven-member editorial board, and so cannot plead indifference in assessing the publication. That having been said, I'll immediately note that I think this new issue features many interesting pieces.)

The first thing to be noticed, however, is the cover, which displays a richly-colored photo of a twelve-patch needlework quilt created by Terrie Cheaney, one of our fine resident artists. With its ochre, orange, purple, and blue pattern, it evokes the atmosphere of the Southwest.

The issue proper leads off with a reminiscence by Wib Smith of the many summers he spent at his wife's family camp in Maine. The delightful memories include boat misadventures, struggles with weather and insects, the installation of indoor plumbing, and picnics. As a reminiscence, the piece can't help but be autumnal. But its spirit evokes happy and (usually) sunny summers.

Judy Chambers follows by relating a tragic moment in the life of her family and describing the deepening of understanding that subsequently fortified her. "The living," she concludes, quoting the advice her husband offered as they coped, "have to go on living."

Residents of CCRCs know how to look death in the eye and stare it down. Judy Ingram provides a humorous poem that does precisely that, even as it celebrates an eightieth birthday.

Our proud Scotsman, Ted Barclay, tells of his and Pat's visit to explore the ancestral Barclay lands in Scotland. (They threw in a pub or two, but even though included in the tale, that aspect of the tour is a different story.) The highlight of the visit was the opportunity to gain access to Barclay Castle, with its enormous fireplaces, impressive suits of armor, and other echoes of the past. The family boasts a fierce motto: Aut agere aut mori – Either Action or Death!

Dan Fletcher continues a technology theme begun in the previous issue of Tower Tales by explaining how his iPad won him over. Our CCRC generation tends to be behind the curve when it comes to the modern devices of communication, but our grandchildren's example is spurring us into trying to catch up, and Dan is an enthusiastic convert. As he says, even while reminding his reader of the joys of exploring book stores, "hey, I have the whole Library of Congress in my hand! Pretty cool."

No good magazine is respectable without an occasional piece on crime-busting, and in this issue Jack Ingram tells a tale from his youth, when, with the approval of the management of the bank he worked for, he investigated what appeared to be a misappropriation of funds. Lest I spoil the story, I won't say more.

Finally, Virgil Hoftiezer writes an apologia on behalf of his grand hobby of genealogy, posing the question – is it an avocation, an affectation, or an affliction? He argues powerfully for the pleasures of the chase, the excitement of making connections, and the sheer joy of discovery. He is likely to have made converts.

One point that the editorial board takes particular pride in is that Tower Tales is not a vehicle for a just a small group of residents. With this issue, the board notes, fully forty-five residents have shared their writing with the community through its pages. Never once has there been an issue with fewer than three new voices. And why? Because in sharing one's writings one is sharing something of oneself. It's a way of gifting the community.

Latest Book Club News

In November we had our once-a-year very special event.  This event was a visit by Dr. Carol Apollonia, the daughter of our member, Betty.  Carol is a Professor of Russian Literature at Duke University, and once a year, when visiting her mother, she leads us in a dicussion of a Russian novel or literature.  This year we read and discussed Fathers and Sons by Turgenev.  Carol helped us see the clash between the older established families and two young college men who enthusiastically embraced  the philosophy of nihilism.  At the end of the story the one young man went back to the life of his family who were part of the Russian Aristocracy.  The other young man, from a peasant family, became a scientist in the medical profession and died from infection.  This book made me realize the beauty of Russia which seemed to be lost for awhile when we thought about Russia as just the Soviet Union and those associated negative feelings.  Most of us had not been to Russia and so we enjoyed hearing Carol talk about her trips.  On one trip she went to the farm of Leo Tolstoy!

Last year Carol had us read Short Stories by Chekov. The year before, we read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and before that, Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevski.  That was a very hard book to read because of the grime, hunger, depression, and crime in the story.  We especially needed Carol to redeem that book for us.  I am eagerly looking forward to our next assignment.

We did not read a book in December.  January's book was Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.  It was literally a dark book.  We counted the words "dark" or "black" forty-two times in the sixty-five pages.  This is one of those stories within a story, and maybe another story within that.  Ed said we should notice the complicated punctuation. The story was about a man sent into the heart of Africa, the heart of darkness, to bring home a man who truly had a heart of darkness.  The setting was the colonial period in England.  Margaret and I admitted that we had to read the book a second time to appreiate the telling of the story rather than just the story.

Next month we will read Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks.  The setting is World War I in France.  Jack has read the book and tells us it is a story of passionate love and deadly war.  I will let you know.

Fearless Baseball Forecasts

In the bleak days of February one of the most welcome harbingers of the warmer weather to come is the news that spring training camps for pitchers will soon be opening. If pitchers are warming up their arms, can batters be far behind? And if batters, then surely opening day . . . !

Lots of questions tease the fan who looks forward to the season. Will Mike Trout suffer a sophomore slump? Will Albert Pujols recover the magic? Will the owners ever see the mindlessness of ten-year contracts?

But the niftiest thing for baseball fans at this time of year is that they now have a brief window of opportunity for believing that anything might be possible – even (is the temperature falling in Hades?) a pennant for the Cleveland Indians. By the end of May, of course, reality will have begun to set in. But until then, why not dream? After all, last season saw unexpected divisional victories for Baltimore and Washington. Maybe this year is Houston's turn? Or Pittsburgh's? Or Kansas City's?

Nah!

I believe in a cautious realism when surveying the future. And so, here is my forecast. (If – when – I'm shown to be wrong, I'll be as likely to bring the subject up as your favorite TV weather forecaster is easger to discuss his missed calls.) I'll start with the American League.

In the East Toronto will win. Management has added R.A. Dickey, and Mark Buehrle to its pitching staff, and Jose Reyes to its batting order. The team already has the best batter you've never heard of in Jose Bautista. Go Blue Jays! (The other big story in the East will be the collapse of the Yankees. Age will catch up with this team with a vengeance, and they'll play sub-.500 ball for the first time since dinosaurs roamed the earth.)

In the Central division Detroit will win big. When you've got the best hitter in baseball (Miguel Cabrera) and the best pitcher in baseball (Justin Verlander), and you play in the weakest division in baseball, success should be a snap. The post-season will be the Tigers' big test. As for the Indians, well, as Dodger fans used to say, wait 'til next year (or decade).

In the West I'm going with Los Angeles. Trout, Pujols, and Hamilton make a fearsome trio for any pitcher. But I'm not ready to count Texas out, and if the Rangers – with Beltre, Kinsler, Brkman, and Andrus – sneak past the Angels, I won't be entirely surprised. The AL West is, after all, the strongest division in the league and perhaps in baseball.

In the National League East I think Washington is the real McCoy. So I think they'll repeat atop the division. The Nats have a splendid pitching staff (think Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez) and a batting order that will combine able veterans with startlingly good youth (think Bryce Harper). And wouldn't it be great to have a D.C. team in the World Series for the first time in 80 years?

When we turn to the Central division I think we'll see another repeater. Cincinnati is rich with talent, especially in the remarkable Joey Votto. I suspect that the real story in this weakening division will be the fading of St. Louis. The Cardinals have lost too much talent in the past three years, and their basic mediocrity will finally assert itself. (A cruel but true prediction.)

Out in the West I forecast a Los Angeles triumph. (And wouldn't a Dodgers-Angels World Series be interesting? The TV cameras would use every half inning break to show the beautiful people who have secured front row box seats.) The Dodgers have Matt Kemp, who has triple crown potential, and a hard-hitting supporting cast – all that plus very good pitching. I admit it's hard to put the Dodgers ahead of the world champion San Francisco Giants, but L.A.'s pitching is almost as good, and their offense is much better.

So there you have my predictions. Pin them to the refrigerator so you can mock me next October!

Reflections on a Wintry Day

Today is a dreary winter day here in Granville.  A week ago on Tuesday we had a late January thaw with the temperature reaching 60+ degrees.  By Thursday wintry weather had returned with temperatures back in the single digits.  The snow which fell before Christmas and then melted with the thaw has been replaced due to fits of snow off and on so that once again the ground is snow covered.  A couple of the days were quite windy and it behooved one to bundle up well before venturing outside.  Whenever a door to the outside is opened as someone comes in or goes out, a blast of cold air enters chilling the air in our halls.  With extra openings in the areas under construct ion at both ends and in the middle there are lots of places leaking cold air into the halls as well. 

When I was growing up this was the kind of weather you liked to find a good book, a good apple, a bowl of freshly popped corn, and a comfy chair located in a warm cozy spot so you could curl up and read while the weather stayed outside.  Curling up in a warm cozy spot inside and reading or watching television is still a good way to spend a wintry afternoon or evening.   But the sort of stuff that's on television today makes reading more and more attactive - be it the old fashioned kind of book or one of the new-fangled Kindles or Nooks.

We are lucky that we have a well-supplied library in our community building and connections with the Granville Public Library that put a wide choice of books at our finger tips.  The fact that the library is open night and day also adds immeasurably to its convenience.

We are also lucky that our apartments have individual heat controls so we can keep them at whatever temperature suits each of us best.   Since each of us has a different metabolism and therefore a different tolerance for heat and cold, this is a really important feature for our personal year round comfort.

So tonight after supper I plan to curl up in my comfortable Lazy-Boy chair with the book I picked out yesterday afternoon in our library and settle in for an evening of enjoyment in my cozy living room.